Various conventional compression devices are known for applying compressive pressure to a patient's limb. These types of devices are used to assist in a large number of medical indications, mainly the prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), vascular disorders, reduction of edemas, and the healing of wounds.
Although showing high clinical efficacy in clinical studies in treating the above conditions, compression devices are only effective is the user utilizes the compression device in compliance with the prescribed treatment.
For example, the prescribed treatment may be utilizing the compression device for a predetermined amount of time during the day or utilizing the compression device a predetermined number of times for a predetermined amount of time during the day. If the user is not compliant with the prescribed treatment, the practitioner cannot readily determine is the compression device is non-effective unless the practitioner is aware of the user's non-compliance.
Various clinical studies have shown that daily compliance of compression systems is less than 50% resulting in far below expectation clinical outcomes compared to a continuous treatment. Such non-compliance by the user can have negative consequences.
For example, deep vein thrombosis carries the short-term risk of pulmonary embolism and death and the long term risk of chronic venous insufficiency, causing disabling symptoms of swelling, chronic pain, and skin ulceration (post thrombotic syndrome). Both pulmonary embolism and post-thrombotic syndrome may develop after symptomatic or asymptomatic, proximal or distal deep vein thrombosis events.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,597,194, deep vein thrombosis can be detected and prevented by a compression device. The entire contents of U.S. Pat. No. 8,597,194 are hereby incorporated by reference.
However, if the user is not utilizing the compression device as prescribed, deep vein thrombosis may not be detected or prevented, thus, determining compliance by the user enables the successful utilization of a compression device.
Therefore, it is desirable to provide a compression device that will detect a user's compliance status in the utilization of the compression device.
Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a compression device that will detect a user's compliance status in the utilization of the compression device and store the compliance data for review by a competent medical practitioner.
Moreover, it is desirable to provide a compression device that will detect a user's compliance status in the utilization of the compression device and communicate the compliance data to a monitoring service or competent medical practitioner.
Also, it is desirable to provide a compression device that will detect, in real time, a user's compliance status in the utilization of the compression device and provide an alert or notice to the user of the compliance status.